Chapter 80—The Bad Guys |
“It…” Hiral started. “Completely slipped my mind. Once the dungeon interface appeared, all I could think of was getting everybody out.”
Loan groaned. “Don’t tell me you didn’t take the loot or get the achievements?”
“I took the loot,” Left said.
“And I got the achievements,” Right said.
“It’s a good thing you have them,” Loan laughed. “So, check your notifications. What did you get?”
“Some kind of regeneration,” Wule said before Hiral could even open a window.
“Huh?” Hiral said.
“Some kind of regeneration,” Wule repeated. “Once you managed to get rid of the orange energy, everybody started healing on their own. Not quickly, but definitely enough to be noticeable. It’s probably working even now, repairing any damage our heals missed, and helping reconnect the PIMs.”
“It makes purple sparkles,” Yully said, sipping the last liquid of the stew from her bowl. “Probably from that achievement we got in Trevallan. Infernal something or other.”
“Not yet,” Wule said. “We were all worried waiting for you, then you came out… and… well, we got kind of distracted.”
“Fair,” Hiral admitted.
“Stop stalling!” Loan said. “What did you get?” He looked at Left. “Tell us the loot.”
“Yeah, Left,” Seena said, chuckling. “Tell us the loot.”
Left just gave the party leader a flat look.
“We don’t even know the loot,” Hiral informed everybody while the double pulled out a small chest. “Is that the group loot?”
“No,” Left said. “These are the individual rewards. One for each of you.”
“Kind of… small,” Yanily said.
The fact Left smiled at the comment made everybody a little nervous. “I think you’ll find the best things come in small packages,” the double said cryptically, before opening the lid of the chest to reveal six rings.
“Can you…?” Yanily said, reaching up his arm—the limb shaking from the effort—and wiggling his fingers. “Can you bring it over here?”
“Of course,” Left said, walking over to the recovering spearman, and taking one of the rings out of the box. “Worth the effort,” he said, and handed it over.
While Yanily looked at the ring—eyes widening as View activated—Left brought rings to the others in the party.
“Heavy,” Hiral said as Left dropped his ring into the palm of his hand. “What is this even made of?”
“Those… stats…” Yanily said, breathless now not because of the injury, but instead because of whatever he saw with View.
“Well?” Loan asked. “What does it do?”
“One second,” Hiral said, his own View activating. When it did, his jaw dropped.
(Lost) Advanced World-Energy Linking Ring (S-Rank)
+125 to all stats.
Effect: Grants user access to Ability—Energy Recycling
Ability—Energy Recycling: 20% of energy expanded on abilities is restored to user over five seconds immediately following ability usage.
Note: Energy used and energy restored are both modified by efficiency bonuses.
Note (2): Only one attribute-boosting ring can be worn at a time.
One of the few exemplary rings forged in the process of developing the Heart of the City and its portable counterpart.
All were believed to have been lost, though this one’s power has grown over time, saturated in the energy it was meant to channel.
“That…” Hiral started. “That’s…”
“Insane,” Seena said.
“OP,” Yanily corrected, a smile on his face despite the pain he was still in.
“With our modifiers,” Hiral mumbled. “That’s a lot more than one-twenty-five.”
“One-twenty-five what?” Loan asked. “What do the rings do?”
In answer, Hiral held up his ring—without putting it on—and willed it to be Viewable to everybody around the stew pot. It was just his raid party there, and he trusted everybody.
“Fallens’ balls,” Ilrolik cursed. “Even with the rewards people are getting in the Cradle ,I’ve never heard of anything with stats anywhere close to that. Not even one, let alone all of them.”
“This was an S-Rank dungeon,” Hiral said. “And this is S-Rank loot.”
“Damn straight it is,” Wule is. “That’s more attribute points than we’ll get in all twenty levels of A-Rank. Seven-hundred-and-fifty. From one item.”
“If you fought Laapdoug,” Seeyela said, looking at the ring held between two fingers. “You’d understand how much we had to work to earn this. And how much we need it if we want to beat him a second time.”
“Oh, that’s the good stuff,” Yanily said, his new ring on to replace the old one he was wearing that only gave plus-fifteen. Just having the new ring on his finger seemed to bolster the spearman’s health, some color returning to his skin, and some of the pain leaving his face.
“If that’s the loot,” Nivian said, smiling at the good fortune of his friends. “What kind of achievements did you get?”
“I’ll share them,” Hiral said. “If any of you got something different, speak up?” The rest of his party nodded, so he pulled up the notification windows he’d ignored in the rush of getting his injured friends to the healers. “First, of course, we had the achievement from Trevallan; The Deal with the Devils. For it, we got this…” Hiral trailed off and brought up the window so everybody could see it.
Achievement: The Deal with the Devils
Reward: (Lost) Runic Regeneration+ becomes (Lost) Abyssal Runic Regeneration+
(Lost) Abyssal Runic Regeneration+: Passively regenerate 4% health per 5 seconds as long as you have solar energy to power the ability.
While under the effects of passive Abyssal Runic Regeneration+, deal bonus damage and reduce incoming damage proportional to the amount of health missing from maximum.
Note: Passive healing can be supercharged for a burst of active health restoration (Cooldown: 2 minutes).
Note (2): After using active health restoration, passive Regeneration is reduced to 8% per thirty seconds until cooldown expires.
Note (3): Bonus damage increases relative to health lost and Rank.
Note (4): Damage reduction increases relative to health lost and Rank, with additional reduction when below 35% total health.
“Yeah, we didn’t get that, boy,” Laseen said with a cackle. Seeing Gran’s customary laugh coming from the young woman was only a little disorienting, but the smile on her face smoothed it over pretty quickly.
Seena gently elbowed him in the side. “Maybe you shouldn’t be the one to share these after all. I think you almost gave poor Wule a heart attack.”
“I still can’t heal those yet,” Wule pointed out. “Yully?”
“No,” she said, her own eyes so wide it was a miracle they didn’t roll right out of her head. “If all of his achievements are like that, though, one of us is going to get a spontaneous ability evolution.”
“What did the rest of you get then?” Hiral asked. It kind of made sense since this was his third-tier upgrade of regeneration, or was it fourth? Hells, he’d lost count.
“We got Abyssal Regeneration,” Seena said for everybody’s benefit. “One-percent healing per five seconds. It also has an active heal with a two-minute cooldown, which drops the passive healing effect to one percent per minute.”
“Damn,” Wule said. “That’s still a constant twelve percent healed per minute when it’s going, which is practically all the time. No wonder you all started recovering so much faster after the orange energy vanished.”
“Bout time we get to enjoy some of the regeneration Hiral has had since forever,” Seeyela said. “That damage reduction and bonus damage sure would’ve been nice though.”
“Upgrade it to the plus-version?” Hiral suggested.
“Let me get right on that,” Seeyela laughed.
“Don’t forget,” Hiral said to everybody else. “You all got that achievement. As soon as you go a dungeon interface, you’ll get Abyssal Regeneration as well.”
Wule just looked at his brother. “Am I even going to need to heal you at all when you have that?”
“Your chance to become a damage dealer?” Nivian asked back.
“If that’s not even from the S-Rank dungeon,” Loan said. “Don’t keep us waiting. I can’t wait to see the S-Rank abilities.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Uh, sure,” Hiral said. “Okay, the first achievement we got in there was from clearing the skybike area and beating the three Mid-Bosses.” First, Hiral shared the quest completion notification that’d come with the achievements.
Dynamic Quest Complete
Aye Aye, Admiral
Congratulations. Achievement unlocked—Not So Jolee Anymore
You’ve eliminated three dangerous Infested, and left their ship in ruin, striking a powerful blow for the allied forces.
Skybike Escorts Destroyed: 100/100
Admiral Rough-Hat Killed: 1/1
Captain Fire-Feet Killed: 1/1
Captain Blade-Guy Killed: 1/1
Attention Drawn: 0/100%
Allied Forces Remaining: 91/100%
Please access a Dungeon Interface to unlock class-specific reward.
“Ninety-one percent,” Drahn said with a whistle. “Can’t believe you did that and killed the Mid-Bosses.”
“We’ve got some tricks we can share before we all go in to farm,” Seena said.
“And we’ve love to hear them,” Loan said. “After we see the rewards.”
Hiral laughed at how much his old trainer sounded like Yanily sometimes. “Sure,” he said. “Here’s what we got from that.” With the words, he changed the notification window from the quest to the reward, reading it himself for the first time.
Achievement: Not So Jolee Anymore
Reward: Class Modification: Unique Energy
Unique Energy—Typed solar energy you possess is now unique to you, taking on additional properties based on your experience and power, resulting in increased potency and reduced likelihood to be resisted by enemies—even those who may foolishly believe themselves immune.
Note: Unique Energy will ignore up to 6% of enemy resistances per Rank, with an additional 6% ignored per advanced class.
Note (2): Unique energy will increase any damage done with typed-energy abilities by 3% per Rank, with an additional 3% damage done per advanced class.
“You all got that one, right?” Hiral asked while he read it through a second time, then looked at Seena with a smile. “That should make burning things—anything—a little easier.”
“Am I reading this right?” Seena said. “If something was immune to fire damage, would my flames suddenly be able to hurt them?”
“They would, Mistress,” Li’l Ur said. “Your fire is no longer just fire. Anything foolish enough—as the description says—to believe that is what they face will be in for a rude surprise. Your flames are now unique to you. No other being in the world possesses them.”
“Me too, Li’l Ur?” Yanily asked. “For lightning, not fire, of course.”
“That is correct… speared-one,” Li’l Ur said.
“You still don’t remember his name?” Hiral whispered, and Li’l Ur at least had the decency to shrug.
“Hold on,” Seena said, turning her full attention on Hiral. “Isn’t your solar energy all-typed now? What does this mean for you?”
“… that is an excellent question,” he said. He’d been so excited for Seena getting to burn stuff more easily, he hadn’t even considered the recent change in his own energy. Did this mean he suddenly got a flat twenty-one-percent damage bonus to all his abilities? He’d need to test to find out.
“Is my energy arrow-typed?” Igwanda said. “I want it to be arrow-typed.”
“We… may have to work on that a bit,” Nivian said.
“If you don’t have an energy type already,” Hiral said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if this gave you one.”
“It gave me one,” Romin said, speaking up for the first time since Wallop had pulled through from his injuries. “It’s not an element, but it’s based off my bond with Wallop. Any abilities we share are considered typed, as are any of our Onslaught abilities.”
“So, I’ll get arrow-typed energy,” Igwanda said, standing up. “Let’s get in there and get S-Rank.”
“Or,” Nivian countered. “Let’s wait to see what the other rewards were.”
Igwanda looked from Hiral to Nivian, and back again. Then she sat down. “Fine. I am an adult. I shall be patient.”
“That’s my girl,” Drahn said, rubbing a hand on Igwanda’s scaled head. Something like a mix of a purr and a growl came out of her throat at the touch, and the rest of the group looked at Hiral, their eyes pleading for him to move on to the next reward. Happy to do that, he closed the Unique Energy window, and opened up the next quest window. He hadn’t even looked at himself.
Dynamic Ques Complete!
Heart Break
Congratulations. Achievement unlocked—Total Eclipse of the Heart
You have not only removed the power provided to the Fallen and their Infested, but also claimed it for your own. Using that, a Fallen has fallen at your hands.
To have a chance against the unstoppable might of the Fallen and end this war, you have two targets.
Heart of the City ‘hacked’ (what does that even mean?): 1/1
Bonus Objective—Heart of the City’s power directed to benefit party: 1/1
Lapdog Sealed: 1/1
“That looks like it’s an achievement for both the second Mid-Boss and the Boss,” Hiral said.
“Did you get cheated out of a third one?” Devison asked.
“No,” Hiral said. “We’ve actually got two more after this.”
“Then let’s see what the reward is,” Loan said predictably.
“You’re as bad as Yanily,” Hiral said.
“He’s been through a lot, I’m helping out,” Loan said.
“Fine, here’s what we got for that achievement,” Hiral said, closing the open window and bringing up a new one.
Achievement: Total Eclipse of the Heart
Reward: PIM Upgrade: Solar Heart becomes PIM Upgrade: Twin-Star Solar Heart
PIM Upgrade: Twin-Star Solar Heart—After witnessing the near-endless source of power within a new sun, a personal core has formed inside your PIM. This has been further modified by exposure to both the advanced technology of the Heart of the City and the energy of one with their own Solar Core, resulting in an extremely rare Twin-Star variant.
Note: While the Twin-Star Solar Heart does not possess quite the same energy generation potential of a sun (yet?) it provides substantial passive solar energy regeneration while no other source is available.
Note (2): External energy that mixes with that provided by the Twin-Star Solar Heart sees increased potency and efficiency, and is immediately typed automatically based on user’s affinities.
Note (3): The Twin-Star Solar Heart itself acts as an additional, substantial reservoir of power.
Note (4): All solar energy within your body is substantially easier to manipulate thanks to the Twin-Star Solar Heart.
“The only real change in the description,” Hiral said. “Is the addition of substantially in several places. I guess my solar energy does feel stronger and easier to manipulate,” he added, thinking back to how quickly he’d put together the runic formation to pull the orange energy out of his party.
“The original Solar Heart ability you had,” Nivian said. “That was from your battle with The Archwizard in The Playhouse?”
“Yeah…” Hiral said. “Oh, that’s right, you guys didn’t get that one, did you? Since you fought a different Boss.”
“Yup,” Wule said. “Does this mean we won’t get anything for this achievement?”
“More likely we will all get a Solar Heart,” Sera said. “Like with Hiral’s regeneration ability. As he already had it, his version was upgraded, while the others got a base ability. I suspect the same will happen with this one, giving us all the potent PIM upgrade.”
“It’s a great ability,” Seena said. “You’ll see a power spike from it, and you can just throw out so many more abilities without having to worry as much about solar energy.”
“I wonder how that will work for you,” Nivian said to his brother. “You don’t need—or even have—solar energy anymore.”
“Any abilities you all get that applies to solar energy,” Wule said. “Applies directly to my lifeforce. This will probably be the same, but we won’t know until we get it. Something we’ll find out after we hit S-Rank. So, before Loan even asks, what’s the next achievement?”
Hiral chuckled at the healer, and nobody had any objections—or other questions at the moment—so he brought up the next achievement window.
Dungeon—The Final Sunrise: Complete
New Record
Time: 2:21:11
Congratulations. Achievement unlocked—Crystal Clear
A city born of those seeking a new path to freedom now lies encased within crystal for eternity, the threat it posed as silent as its streets.
Please access a Dungeon Interface to unlock class-specific reward.
“That’s… kind of dark,” Yully said.
“Are we the bad guys in this dungeon?” Devison said.
“We definitely weren’t the good guys,” Seeyela said. “Vorinal, though, he was worse.”
“I’m glad we weren’t really there,” Hiral said. “Weren’t really part of the decisions that got made. So many people died.”
“We can’t go back and change it,” Seena said. “Just make sure we do better. We’re going to be that strong soon, and we have to make sure we don’t turn out like the Fallen did.”
“We won’t,” Drahn said.
“I’m sure the Fallen said the same,” Sera said.
The truth of the comment rang true within the silent group, and without anything to say to the point, Hiral instead closed the notification window and brought up the reward for it.
Achievement: Crystal Clear
Reward: Class Ability: Reinforcement
Class Ability: Reinforcement—Your solar energy is more than fuel for your abilities, it is power itself, allowing you enhance your body with it directly.
Note: Enhancing your body with Reinforcement will increase your durability and damage reduction by 3% per Rank, with an additional 3% per advanced class.
Note (2): Enhancing your body with Reinforcement will increase all attributes by 4% per Rank, with an additional 4% per advanced class.
Note (3): Reinforcement stacks multiplicatively with other attribute-boosting modifiers.
Note (4): When Reinforcement is used in conjunction with an Aspect (or Aspect-like ability), modifiers granted by Reinforcement are increased by an additional 10%.
“Holy hell,” Loan said. “It’s like everybody gets a mini-Aspect.”
“One that’s made even stronger if an actual Aspect is present,” Ilrolik said. “Not that they are very common beyond a certain few. How are we all going to find Progenitor sponsorship?”
“Don’t need it,” Hiral said. “Romin and Finotol both got their Aspects from their advanced classes.”
“Bash, too,” Wule said.
“Bash has one? I haven’t seen that,” Hiral said.
“Doesn’t visibly change him much,” Wule said. “Just makes him more smashy.”
“Smash,” Bash said with a knowing nod of his head.
“I guess we’ll have to see if we can get some advanced classes in S-Rank,” Ilrolik said.
“I think I’m getting closer to a more unique advanced class,” Loan said. “We can do it.”
“Glad one of us is confident in that,” Ilrolik said before noticing Loan glaring at her. “What? I’m old. I’m allowed to be grumpy for no reason sometimes.”
“You’ve been fighting differently recently,” Dole said from the other side. “Even I can see you’re reaching for something suited to you, whether you realize it or not.”
Ilrolik grunted. “Thanks for the pep talk. Shouldn’t I be the one giving words of wisdom to each of you?”
“Maybe come up with some, and we’ll take them,” Loan laughed before looking back to Hiral.
“I know,” Hiral said before the big man could open his mouth. “That’s all the achievements for the dungeon. The last one we got is for… well, I’ll just let you see it yourself.”
Ascender’s Tower: Complete
Congratulations. Achievement unlocked—History, Not as Written by the Winners
You have witnessed the rise and fall of some of the greatest minds of a civilization. Were they right? Were they wrong? Even the truth of history doesn’t have a clear answer.
Please access a Dungeon Interface to unlock class-specific reward.
“Can’t disagree with that,” Finotol said. “Since it’s a reward for the whole tower—six dungeons—it’s got to be good, right?”
“Probably the most generally useful,” Hiral said, closing the achievement window to bring up the reward one.
Achievement: History, Not as Written by the Winners
Reward: PIM Upgrade: Party Interface becomes PIM Upgrade: Global Party Interface
PIM Upgrade: Global Party Interface—All Party Interface abilities are now global, increasing their range of affected party members to anywhere on the same world.
Note: If all members of a Raid Party possess PIM Upgrade: Global Party Interface, the Raid Party Interface is automatically updated to Global.
“Is that… good?” Finotol said.
“Like I said, useful,” Hiral said. “Since we’re planning to split up to deal with the guardians, this means things like raid chat will work, no matter the distance. Also, all my Party Interface abilities and bonuses will reach you no matter where you are, as long as you’re on the same world. As it was before this, if you went out of range, you’d lose access to things like Shared Storage or Heart of the Party.”
“Ooph,” Finotol said as she realized just how many bonuses they would’ve lost out on.
“That’s a great line up of abilities,” Nivian said. “Was that the last of them?”
“It was,” Hiral said.
“Then,” Nivian said, standing up, his brother following suit a second later. “I think the rest of us should give you some space to rest and recover. We’re all a few levels behind you—especially since you cleared that dungeon—and we’ll work on catching up while you get back to fighting strength.”
“Don’t go past the skybikes,” Hiral warned.
“We won’t,” Nivian said. “First, we’ll go get whatever regeneration ability we can by going into A Quaint Farm, then we’ll get started on farming.”
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m ready to get S-Rank.”